Feeding the Ducks
by MusicalLuna1
Summary: Mamoru happens upon Usagi in the park feeding the ducks. He gets pulled into conversation with her and they have their first conversation without argument. Could something more happen? Oneshot. Mushy mush mush. :D


:D I'm on a roll today. Bordem and being all alone will do that to you. ;) I wrote this over the last couple of hours. I was inspired by this tree out by the lake behind our dorm. It's covered in these tiny little peach colored petals, and they're all falling off now, and every time the wind blows, gobs of them go swirling around and they even make it across the lake and over our dorm. They just look soooo pretty. And so I was like, ooh! Lake! Ducks! Flower petals! Romance! And WABAM, I give you this one-shot. rofl XDDDDD It's a whole bunch of fluffy goodness, so sit back, and put on some really soft, romantic music and read the mushy. :)

Enjoy and make sure to let me know what you think:D

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Disclaimer: Me no own Saiwor Moon. ;;

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Usagi was squatting on the bank of the lake, giggling quietly as she scattered bits of bread into the water for a family of ducks. Mamoru stood back on the path, watching her with an uncharacteristically soft look on his face. He had been standing there, just watching her for over ten minutes and for the life of him, he couldn't understand what was the matter with him.

Sure, she was adorable. She was also only fifteen. She was sweet… And still fifteen. He sighed. This argument wasn't going well. Time to bring out the big guns. 'She hates you, remember Chiba?' he told himself. The rest of his arguments died in the back of his mind and he watched her giggling at the ducklings gloomily. He sighed, and that was when she turned around.

His heart stopped and he flushed embarrassed at being caught.

"Mamoru-baka!" she exclaimed with surprise. "What are you doing here?" He was surprised not to hear any venom in her tone.

"Um." He cleared his throat. "I was taking a walk," he said awkwardly.

"Oh." She smiled and suddenly Mamoru felt extremely uncomfortable. Why weren't they fighting by now? This was out of his element. "I'm feeding the ducks," she declared proudly.

Mamoru jolted out of his thoughts. "What?"

She giggled and pointed at the ducks still floating nearby. "The ducks. I was feeding them."

Mamoru nodded dazedly. "Oh, right."

Usagi giggled again and tilted her head. "Are you okay, Baka? You're acting a little funny."

He blushed. "I'm fine," he said quickly.

She smiled, her eyes twinkling. "If you say so."

He tried, but couldn't stop his face from falling a little as he looked at her. Why couldn't things always be like this between them?

He saw concern edge its way onto Usagi's face and he looked away, his heart thumping nervously. She had never looked at him like that before.

"You're sad, Mamoru-baka," she stated softly.

He shrugged uncomfortably.

"Come and feed the ducks."

He looked up, his eyebrows raising and disappearing beneath his bangs. "What?"

"Come and feed the ducks," she repeated with a small smile. "It will make you feel better."

He hesitated, but when she gestured with her head and smiled reassuringly, he made his way down the bank to her.

"I've never fed ducks before," he confessed quietly.

Her mouth dropped open in astonishment. "Never? You're so deprived!"

He chuckled. "Tell me about it."

"Here, hold out your hands," she said and when he obeyed, she began tearing the bread into his hands. "There. Now just toss it to them a little at a time."

Mamoru did as she instructed and he smiled as the ducks and their ducklings quickly snatched up the pieces. She was right. It did make him feel better. Though, he had a feeling that her close proximity might have something to do with it too. He glanced at her quickly. She was smiling at the ducks, the perfect picture of contentment. She turned, catching his eye and he blushed as they stared at one another.

"Tell me what's the matter," she requested softly.

He turned away, uncomfortable, looking down at the water and the ducks. "It…it's complicated," he lied. It really wasn't. It was actually absurdly simple.

"Oh," she said, and he could hear the disappointment in her voice. It hurt.

"I'll tell you another time, Odango," he said quickly, trying to amend things. "Just…not here. Not…now." 'Things are too perfect right now. I don't want to change them just yet…'

She nodded, but he could tell she was still disappointed.

He sighed. 'Great. Way to screw things up Chiba. You're actually having a civil conversation with Odango and you can't even come up with a pathetic excuse for why you're sad. Wonderful.'

"Isn't it romantic?" Usagi commented.

Mamoru's eyes widened and he turned to stare at her. "What?"

"The ducks. Isn't it romantic how they stay together, raising babies together year after year?" she said dreamily.

Mamoru was only slightly disappointed. "Yeah…I guess it is," he whispered in agreement.

They stood there silently, gazing out over the lake, watching as the sinking sun turned the horizon a vivid pink.

"It's your kind of sunset," Mamoru murmured with a small smile and Usagi giggled.

"It is!"

Looking at her out of the corner of his eye, washed in a warm pink glow and smiling gently, her hair flowing gently in a light breeze, Mamoru couldn't help thinking with a pang in his heart that this was how things should always be.

She glanced at him, catching the melancholy look on his face and her expression melted into concern again. "Baka, are you _sure_ you're okay?"

He forced a smile and nodded. "I'm sure." She looked dubiously at him and the smile came easier. "Really, Odango, I'll be okay."

She sighed. "All right…"

They were quiet again, looking out at the sky, dappled with stunning color. The breeze picked up a little and then suddenly they were enveloped in a shower of pale pink petals floating and twirling beautifully in the air around them. Usagi shrieked and giggled in delight, throwing her arms out and spinning around with her eyes closed and a dazzling smile on her face.

Mamoru couldn't breathe. The ability to do so was gone. Looking at her, dancing in a storm of tiny flower petals he had never seen anything so beautiful in his entire life. So he did the only thing he could think to do. He kissed her.

He pulled her to him, one hand gently wrapped around her wrist and the other pressed firmly against her lower back. She gasped as he pressed his lips to hers, her eyes wide with astonishment. She remained stiff in his arms for several seconds and he screamed mentally at himself, 'What are you _doing_ you lunatic?' But then she softened, her body molding to his, her hands gently taking hold of his coat sleeves, her mouth responding to his, and his heart leapt into the stratosphere. He kissed her fervently, reassured by her response, and poured his feelings, everything he had, into it.

When he finally pulled away, he was breathing heavily, his stomach leaping around giddily, his head spinning. Usagi looked almost as dazed as he felt.

"Mamoru-baka…" she whispered.

He had to say something—explain himself—something—anything— "Go out with me, Usagi-chan," he whispered breathlessly.

"Really?" she said hopefully. "You're not being mean?"

"No. Please, Usagi-chan. I want every day to be like the last forty-five minutes. Please. Go out with me," he pleaded earnestly.

A smile crept its way across her lips, lighting up her eyes. "Okay, Mamo-chan…" she whispered playfully.

He stared at her in astonishment for a minute before wrapping his arms around her in a giant bear hug, picking her up and spinning her around joyously.

She shrieked happily, laughing and clinging tightly to his shoulders. "Mamo-chan!" He slowly stopped spinning, lowering her to the ground again and taking her face into his hands, kissing her tenderly. She melted into him, a small sigh of happiness escaping her parted lips. Finally he pulled way and smiled warmly at her.

"I love you, Usako," he murmured. The delight that lit her face made him want to repeat the words over and over again until he could no longer speak.

"I love you too, Mamo-chan."

Mamoru decided then and there that feeding the ducks was the best thing a person could ever do.

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squees I feel so warm and fuzzy inside! XD 


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